


In this misery, you make good company

by allthelines



Series: old man & insolent brat [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 4+1 Things, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, M/M, Meet-Cute, because i couldn't think of 5, just renhyuck being lowkey soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 20:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21124586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthelines/pseuds/allthelines
Summary: What do a senior corporate lawyer and part-time convenience store worker have in common? A couple they hate watching, yet keeps shoving how in love they are in their faces.(aka four times Renjun and Donghyuck suffer at their friends’ hands, and one time they finally get away from playing unwilling witnesses to Jaemin and Jisung’s displays of affection.)





	In this misery, you make good company

**Author's Note:**

> this is very self indulgent and my first forage into renhyuck so get away while you still can  
(also written on a whim because i still haven't moved on from writing lightweight and this is not beta-ed)

Sometimes, Renjun really thinks he hates his job. 

He’s studied way too hard to be working over time several days a week, and more often than not, the paycheck he gets every month just doesn’t seem to cut it. It seems especially meagre when he has to drop off important documents to Jaemin’s doorstep for a quick approval and Jisung is the one answering the door. 

He has nothing against the kid, he swears; he’s honestly grown quite endeared by how cute he is after meeting him the few times he’s Jaemin’s plus one to important functions. He’s also not going to deny that thanks to Jisung, Jaemin has pulled himself together and stopped terrorising most of Na Holdings’ employees with his cold and harsh behaviour and demeanour. What he is not okay with is the overly-saccharine tone Jaemin uses while calling out, “Who’s at the door in the middle of our lovely evening, darling?” and wrapping his arms around Jisung’s waist, resting his chin on the younger man’s shoulder. 

“Oh, it’s _ you_.” 

Renjun hears the hundred-eighty degree change in tone and is pretty sure there’s disdain mixed into the last syllable Jaemin speaks. 

He wants to punch someone. Preferably Jaemin. 

“Yes, it’s _ me_. Your long-suffering senior lawyer who is not paid enough to come all the way to your doorstep only for you to express such unfriendliness when all I’m trying to do is my job,” Renjun drawls with a roll of his eyes. 

“Come on in, Renjun hyung,” Jisung greets with a slight bow, pushing their apartment door wide open. 

“Thanks Jisung. At least one of you knows how to be a decent human being,” Renjun sighs, toeing off his shoes at their foyer. 

Jaemin scoffs as he reluctantly lets Jisung pry him off and shoo the two into the study. Renjun’s not entirely sure, but out of the corner of his eye, it looks like Jaemin spinning back quickly to briefly kiss Jisung on the tip of his nose before completely parting from his husband. He doesn’t understand why they’re acting like they’re going to be apart for _ days _ when it’s literally just a few minutes in different areas of the same, damn, house. 

_ Good lord_, he thinks. He _ hates _ couples. 

He’s still in a displeased mood when he leaves with the thought of how sappy the two husbands are, and is only mildly distracted when his stomach grumbles in protest, reminding him he hasn’t had dinner. He spots a convenience store nearby and pulls into a parking lot on the side of the street before heading in. 

“Welcome.” He hears someone greet, and what sounds like shuffling about and telltale thumps of items being stocked onto the shelves. There’s a mop of curly light brown hair peeking out from between the aisles and he assumes it's the part-time worker. 

Begrudgingly, he heads over to the instant food section to pick out some ramen and snacks. He deposits all the things in his arms onto the counter with a sigh and waits for the cashier to saunter over from between the aisles. 

The part-time worker eyes him briefly as he scans the items. 

“Rough night, huh?” he asks, taking in the tired appearance of the lawyer. “Kicked out of the house by your partner or something?”

Renjun rolls his eyes. He looks at the cashier’s nametag on his uniform, which reads _ Lee Donghyuck_. 

“Worse. Had to play gooseberry to one of the sappiest couples I’ve ever met,” Renjun grouses as he makes payment. 

Donghyuck pulls a face as he returns Renjun his card. “Must suck. I can oddly relate.” 

“Yeah? I was just at my boss’s dropping off a document and he looked like he couldn’t even bear to be away from his partner for _ two seconds _to sign the damn paper,” Renjun complains. He heads to the back to fill his ramen cup with hot water. “They really have no sense of the rest of the world when they’re together.”

Donghyuck barks a short laugh and returns to restocking the shelves in the second aisle. “Talk about it. There’s this couple who comes in here every now and then, somehow always at my shift. The last time I saw them they were arguing over which flavour of gummies they should get. It ended with them engaging in some kind of whining competition and getting both flavours anyway.” 

“_Couples_,” Renjun groans, settling into a chair and opening a pack of seaweed snacks as he waits for his noodles to steep in the hot water. 

Donghyuck echoes in agreement. “_Couples_.” 

——✩——

The next time Renjun has to send documents to Jaemin’s place, it’s because his CEO decided to take half a day off out of the blue, just to spend more time with Jisung who “sneezed twice this morning, I think he’s coming down with a flu, so I _ must _ go home early and take care of him.” 

It’s like Jaemin has never heard of irritants or looked out the window. Doesn’t he see how polluted the Seoul air is lately? Or maybe Jisung is allergic to the bullshit Jaemin spouts, no? 

In any case, Jaemin forgets to bring home with him some files in his haste to get home. And because Renjun is friends with a dumbass, Jaemin has also let his secretary off on a break, leaving only his closest friend and senior lawyer that is not paid to do secretarial work to bring the documents to him. Jisung is the one answering the door again, and he most definitely does not have a flu. He looks absolutely in the pink of health, even healthier than Renjun who is tired and just wants to go home. 

“Renjun hyung! You’re just in time for dinner, Jaemin hyung is cooking.” 

Jaemin emerges from the kitchen with a dish in hand, and an ugly as hell apron that says _ kiss the cook_. “He’s not invited to our dinner _ for two_, don’t invite random people to eat with us, sweetheart.” 

Renjun really wants to punch someone. Still preferably Jaemin. 

Jisung glances unsurely at Renjun, who heaves a deep sigh, slams the documents onto their shoe rack and forces an unnatural smile. 

“It’s fine, Jisung. Eating with him will just spoil my appetite. Did you know that all he does during our lunches is talk about you? I can’t count the number of times he’s told me how your cheeks look like a hamster’s when you eat.” 

Jisung blushes and looks at his feet. 

“Hey, watch it. Don’t talk to my husband like that,” Jaemin warns, pulling Jisung into his arms. “You’re still on my payroll!” 

Renjun waves a fist at him. “If not for the money I’d have left the company a long time ago, you ungrateful crumb!” 

Jaemin covers Jisung’s ears and _ fucking _ leans in to nuzzle at his neck. “Don’t listen to him darling. I said you look like a _ cute _ hamster, not just hamster.” 

“How does that make it any better!” Jisung whines and shoves at Jaemin, ears turning red as well. 

They both jump when their apartment door slams shut, courtesy of Renjun. 

He stops by the convenience store again to grab a quick bite, hunger brought from smelling whatever Jaemin was cooking. For how horrible a friend Jaemin is, he does cook pretty well. 

“Welcome— oh it’s you. Dropping off documents for your boss again?” Donghyuck asks. 

“Oh. Hey,” Renjun nods, loosening his tie. He looks over the refrigerated shelves for a sandwich. “Yeah, tough job. I’m not paid enough to watch them be lovey-dovey with each other.” 

Donghyuck snorts. “At least you’re paid by _ one _ of them. I’m paid by neither and still have to witness it.” 

Renjun chuckles as he sets his food items down on the counter and hands over his card. “Gotta count my blessings, _ huh_.” 

“Indeed you do, Mr. Huang,” Donghyuck notes the name on the card and scans it. 

“People don’t even call me that at work; just Renjun will do.” 

“Oooh, we’re progressing fast to first name basis. If you didn’t hold so much disdain for couples I’d assume you’d be asking me out by the next time you come by,” Donghyuck jokingly states with an impish smile. He taps on the left of his shirt where his nametag is pinned. “You already have my name, it’s free for all to know.” 

“Nice meeting you Donghyuck,” Renjun says with a slight smile. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually hate relationships. The real relationships hater is my boss but he’s a changed man ever since he met his husband.” He shudders. “Never thought I’d see that side of him.” 

“Ah, I get it.” Donghyuck snaps his finger. “I think I know what it is. It’s the ‘_Is that what love does to people? Disgusting_.’ Correct?” He looks pointedly at Renjun, eyes wide and shining with amusement. 

Renjun frowns in thought and bops his head slightly. “Probably that, yeah.” 

“S’okay, we all find things we don’t understand weird.” Donghyuck shrugs. “But I think mine is more of, ‘_It’s cute, but it’s not me, so I hate it._’” 

Renjun laughs. “Understandable. Sometimes it’s just that yes, people have rights, but _ I _ have the most rights, you know?” 

“You get me.” Donghyuck nods and extends his hand out for a shake. 

Renjun takes it and gives it a firm handshake. 

——✩——

The early morning in Seoul is quiet. Renjun sighs as he exits his car and takes in the cool and slightly damp air, noting the damp scent of petrichor left over from the heavy rain yesterday. He sighs again when as he takes the lift up to Jaemin and Jisung’s apartment. 

Jisung answers the door in a harried manner when he rings the bell. 

“Morning Jisung,” Renjun greets with the only smile he can muster because he’s not exactly a morning person, and it’s barely seven a.m. 

“Morning Renjun hyung. Sorry for making you come over this early, I’ll go get the files!” 

Renjun settles himself on their couch with a nod. 

“How did Jaemin even fall so sick all of a sudden? He seemed fine in the office yesterday,” Renjun asks when Jisung returns. 

Jisung bows his head slightly, embarrassed. “Um…” 

“He did something stupid, didn’t he?” Renjun narrows his eyes in the general direction of where Jaemin is lying semi-conscious in bed with a fever and cold. 

“I guess… You could say that…?” 

Renjun looks pointedly at Jisung, one eyebrow raised. Jisung lets out a tiny, exasperated sigh. 

“It was raining yesterday, right? We were out and forgot to bring an umbrella. Then he thought it’d be fun to run in the rain. So…” Jisung trails off, fidgeting uncomfortably under Renjun’s scrutiny. 

“_Dumbass_,” Renjun seethes. “He really had to do this before the day we have to be in another city to sign a contract.” 

He wants to punch some sense into somebody. Definitely Jaemin. 

Jisung bows his head apologetically. “It was kind of my fault actually… So I’m sorry.” 

Renjun waves him off. “He should know better; he’s over thirty, for goodness’s sake. He’s really reckless sometimes.” He exhales heavily and takes the files out of Jisung’s hands. “But it’s good, at least he seems very happy around you.” He claps a hand on Jisung’s shoulder. “Take care of him, I’m off. Got to go catch that flight to Busan without him.” 

Jisung smiles shyly. “I will. Thank you hyung, and sorry to bother you.”

Renjun stops by the convenience store again, half to grab a quick bite before his flight and half to see if there’s a chance Donghyuck is around to make a quick complain. He is, though it’s almost the end of his shift. 

“_Huh_, you’re very early today,” Donghyuck quips. 

“Yeah, ‘cause I’m picking up stuff for work today, not dropping it off,” Renjun complains, grabbing a rice ball and putting it onto the counter. “My boss is sick after he thought it’d be a fun idea to run in the rain with his husband. He thinks he’s re-enacting a romance movie.” 

Donghyuck snorts as he scans the kimbap. “Tell me about it; the couple I told you about the last time? They were in here buying a ton of snacks when it started pouring last night. One of them turned and asked, _ ‘Hey, doesn’t the rain outside remind you of the book we were reading last week? There’s a part where the characters play in the rain and you said you liked it._’ And so, I had to watch with my very eyes, two grown adults giggling like high school students as they fucking _ kissed _ under the rain right outside the door.” He shudders at the thought of the memory. 

Renjun cringes and makes a face of distaste. “Why is this a thing. I don’t understand what is remotely romantic about water everywhere and getting drenched a sopping wet.” 

“I don’t know either.” Donghyuck shrugs. He pauses to wave at his colleague who just entered, pulling off his employee jacket. “They seemed very happy though, laughing and all as they ran off together, hand in hand.” 

“Well, guess we’ll never know,” Renjun sighs. “Going off your shift?” 

Donghyuck nods with a yawn. “Yeah, time to get some sleep before I have to get to my more boring job in a couple of hours. Got a meeting with my supervisor in the noon.” 

“Would offer you a lift, but I’ve got a flight to catch and meeting in the noon as well, but in another city.” 

Donghyuck waves him off. “Don’t worry about it. Thanks for the thoughts but I wasn’t expecting one anyway. You go be busy. See you around? Whenever you’re forced to witness your boss and his husband again?” 

“See you around, yeah,” Renjun replies with a short laugh. 

——✩——

The next time Renjun and Donghyuck meet, it’s not in the convenience store. 

“You work here too?” Renjun asks incredulously when Donghyuck slips into the seat across from him. He’s in Seoul National University’s campus coffeeshop getting some work done as he passes a bit of time. He takes in the familiar mop of brown hair, lazy but slightly cheeky smile and unique constellation of moles across Donghyuck’s face. Admittedly, in a slightly better mood and change of environment, staring at the little dots on Donghyuck’s face makes Renjun’s mind suddenly wander and realise why people call moles on the face beauty marks. 

Donghyuck snorts with a laugh. “I’m not even wearing the coffeeshop’s uniform. Just because I work part-time at a convenience store doesn’t mean I work part-time at a cafe too, you know?” 

Renjun scans him from top to toe and realises he’s right — Donghyuck’s not in the usual convenience store jacket, a casual shirt and jeans, finished off with sneakers with the laces of one shoe untied — he’s dressed rather formally in a pressed shirt and slacks, except he’s folded the long sleeves of his shirt to his elbow. He looks much more put together and Renjun finds himself staring a little too long. 

“Oh.” Renjun bops his head. “What brings you here then?” 

“Just finished defending my dissertation and got my supervisor to sign it off,” Donghyuck states casually with a sip of his coffee. 

Renjun ponders over his words. “Wait, you’re a graduate student? What do you major in?” 

“Not anymore after today,” Donghyuck replies gleefully. “If all goes well, I’ll be a research fellow in the natural sciences department by next month.” 

“Oh, wow, I mean, uh, congratulations!” Renjun puts his hand out for a shake. Donghyuck takes it with a thanks. “Did you assume I was just your regular part-time convenience store worker?” he asks with a laugh. Renjun sheepishly nods. “Well I had to do something to get through the years of writing my paper, watch some annoying couples to remind myself there are other humans out there, life isn’t just my dissertation. Working at a convenience store seemed like a fun idea.” Donghyuck shrugs. “What brings you here though? Don’t you have to play secretary to your boss today?” 

Renjun scowls. “Don’t remind me, and I’m _ not _ a secretary. I’m a _ lawyer_, mind you.” He digs through his bag for his cardholder and thrusts a name card in Donghyuck’s face. 

“Oooh, Senior Corporate Lawyer Huang Ren Jun. Na Holdings,” Donghyuck takes the card and reads aloud. “Huh, you’re a kind of big shot. Why are you running random errands all the time for your boss then?” 

“Because,” Renjun seethes through gritted teeth. “He is an _ idiot _ and pulls the best friend card on me all the time. I’m here today because his husband instilled some idea of corporate social responsibility into his head, and he decided it’d be a good idea for me to return to our alma mater to give a sharing on behalf of the organisation. He couldn’t do it himself because he decided to go on an impromptu honeymoon with his husband.” 

“Oh god, that’s hilarious. You _ poor chump_,” Donghyuck laughs. “Man, now that I think about it, I’m going to miss seeing that couple at the convenience store quite a bit. Last weekend’s probably the last time I’ll see them around in a long while. I think they’re going on a short trip too since they were picking out travelling kits all while holding hands. Does that even make sense to you? Wouldn’t shopping be easier if they had two pairs of hands available?” He rolls his eyes and sips at his coffee in a dramatic manner. 

Renjun sighs. “Couples, you know. Also, what happened to our solidarity,” he sulks. “Guess we can’t bond over being unwilling witnesses to annoying couples anymore.” 

“We can always bond over something else,” Donghyuck quips with a wink. He turns his attention to type at his phone and Renjun feels his phone vibrate in his pocket shortly after. There’s a new message from an unknown number stating _ Have fun with your corporate social responsibility sharing, Mister Lawyer. _ He looks back at Donghyuck, waving his phone in his hand. “I got to go now, I promised to celebrate the day with some friends. Guess I’ll see you when I see you?” Donghyuck gets up with a grin before getting a reply.

A slow smile makes a way onto Renjun’s face as he watches him leave. He replies to the message. _ See you, soon to be research fellow. Or should I be calling you Prof. Lee? _

The reply from Donghyuck comes almost instantaneously. _ Maybe a couple years down the road. You going to hang around till then? _

Renjun laughs. _ We’ll see. _

——✩——

Donghyuck’s words come through sooner than expected when they inadvertently meet again at Jaemin and Jisung’s official wedding reception (courtesy of immense pressure from Jisung’s grandfather). Renjun is trying to find a spot to quietly gather his thoughts after one too many conversations and small talk with people he has absolutely no interest in when he comes face to face with Donghyuck drinking calmly by himself in an obscure corner of the ballroom. 

“Donghyuck?” Renjun questions incredulously. He had just been complaining through text to him how he has probably hit his quota for the year in human interaction and it’s only the cocktail reception; the main event hasn’t even started. Donghyuck had replied that he was hiding in a corner for a function he doesn’t know why he bothered attending. 

“Huh, fancy meeting you here. Wait—” Donghyuck blinks in realisation. “The boss you’ve been talking about, it’s _Na_ Jaemin of _Na_ Holdings?” 

Renjun nods, confused. “How…? Who are you here for?” 

“Jisung,” Donghyuck states. “They’re the annoying couple at the convenience store. Before they decided to be a loving couple engaging in public display of affection way too often, Jisung always hid at the store. That’s how I got to know him.” 

“Oh… Oh. Oh!” Renjun intonates in increasingly higher pitches. “All this while— We were talking about the same couple?” 

They stare at each other in disbelief for a few moments. Renjun clasps his hands together. “It all makes sense, the rain story of them at the store, and Jaemin falling sick—” 

“—and the shopping for a trip, they were going for that impromptu honeymoon,” Donghyuck finishes his sentence. “It all lines up!” 

They burst out laughing at the realisation. 

“This is ridiculous,” Donghyuck laughs. “What are the odds?” 

“I know right,” Renjun chortles in agreement. “And to think we were both complaining about not wanting to be at the same wedding reception.” 

Donghyuck raises a brow and tilts his head in the direction of the exit. Most of the guests are busy, engaged in their own little clusters of conversation and there’s nobody watching the wide open doors. He holds out his hand to Renjun. “We can still save ourselves from watching them be all stuffily sweet exchanging wedding vows in public this time.” 

Renjun takes his hand. “Better make it quick before it starts and we’re discovered then.” 

They exchange smiles, breaking into laughter as they make their escape together.

**Author's Note:**

> i'd like to think that renhyuck ends up dating after a while and intentionally spites jaesung back with the pda (but jaesung are actually unbothered af) 
> 
> hope you enjoyed reading it heh :') 
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/jaesungrise) || [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/allthelines)


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